We are switching from hanging a dry sack with food to a blue barrel. We will have some dehydrated and some regular food. What is recommended for storage at campsite. We are also thinking of bringing a yeti type cooler with ability to lock, where to store this as well, or no cooler??? Only second trip for us in many years....

Not sure how to search for specific information on previous posts to help answer these questions.

We are entering through baker lake going through smoke and burnt lake into sawbill then to Alton then exiting from sawbill.

click on the 'Search' tab (after the Chat Rooms tab) above and type in "Blue Barrel.
I use a 30 L and been content with it for years. I take the harness off at camp and leave it in plain sight on my solos. I sometimes tie it to a tree also but it's not high-security knots or the like. Just to keep it from rolling if something bigger than a chipmunk mess with it. Has a gasket inset in cover that fits over the rim of body and hides scents. I use a simple small 2.5 inches long bolt & nut. If I lose the nut then no fretting as I just slide the bolt down in the 'hasp'. The 30 L makes a great stool for putting shoes on when the old joints are sore from the day before.

If you're really ambitious, you can find the schematic to insulate a 30L barrell. I've insulated a 30L and 2 60L with different forms of insulation and it does make a difference. We just whatever barrells we have along by trees or in the bushes and never had any issues.

You must be base camping as Yeti coolers are rather heavy. Or perhaps you have an actual Yeti to portage the beast!

Supposedly the Yeti are bear proof (bear resistant?) as long as a lock is applied. I am guessing that locks should be applied to both sides, don't lose the keys ;-)

Would I be mistaken to believe that blue barrels are not particularly bear proof? But they have been employed for a very long time so go with it. I would be most concerned using blue barrels at very popular lakes and campsites where habituated bears could pose a problem. Otherwise, just avoid really odorous foods as the barrels are likely not especially odor proof (in spite of any "O" rings) when compared to a bears sniffer.

If you look in the ursack vs brown paper bag thread, i posted a list of IGBC certified devices. Many yeti and other coolers are listed, most with the note to use a padlock or a bolt. Id sure think a bolt made sense.

Bear vs blue barrel

billconner: "If you look in the ursack vs brown paper bag thread, i posted a list of IGBC certified devices. Many yeti and other coolers are listed, most with the note to use a padlock or a bolt. Id sure think a bolt made sense.

Bear vs blue barrel "

I was thinking about changing my ways and getting a blue barrel, but that picture made me think better of that idea. I pack so light on food that two of the bear vault cans would be enough for five to six weeks.

SinglePortage: "

billconner: "If you look in the ursack vs brown paper bag thread, i posted a list of IGBC certified devices. Many yeti and other coolers are listed, most with the note to use a padlock or a bolt. Id sure think a bolt made sense.


Bear vs blue barrel "

I was thinking about changing my ways and getting a blue barrel, but that picture made me think better of that idea. I pack so light on food that two of the bear vault cans would be enough for five to six weeks."

Don’t let one picture over 10 years old, with no known story behind it, and it isn’t even a food grade barrel people use for camping change your mind. Here is a pick of an ursack failure...nothing is full proof. I think hanging, bear barrels, blue barrels, and ursacks all can work. Just go with what fits into your ability/type of travel, but form your description it sounds like an ursack or smaller bear barrel are more up your alley IMHO.

I hang my 30L when solo. Not sure I'd like to hang a 60.

we've been stashing them in the wood .. Cliff Jacobsen recommendation....so far so good. CCS Barrel harness.
sometimes bring 5 gallon bucket with gamma seal lid..Just carry by handle on portages.

dr bob

I've been using a 30L blue barrel for 10 years with no problems (and it's not the same barrel pictured in the photo above). We put all food into the barrel and the barrel is cable locked to a tree in camp. As we eat through our food and garbage is created, the garbage goes into 1 gal ziplock bags and into the blue barrel also. For any food that may need to stay cool, we put that into a small soft sided cooler and stuff that into the barrel. At night, we place pots and pans on top of the barrel, thinking that if a bear were to enter camp and find the barrel, the sound of the pots and pans would wake us, and the cable would prevent the bear from rolling the barrel away.

BTW - our first year using the barrel, we hung our garbage (in a separate bag) in a tree. While out fishing for the day a bear entered our camp. It was able to get to the garbage bag and tore that up. Bear tracks were found in camp but it left the blue barrel alone.

mc2mens: "BTW - our first year using thee barrel, we hung our garbage (in a separate bag) in a tree. While out fishing for the day a bear entered our camp. It was able to get to the garbage bag and tore that up. Bear tracks were found in camp but it left the blue barrel alone."

That's a heck of an endorsement, right there.
I leave mine in the North 49 harness and use that to strap it to a tree.
And, by the way, the North 49 harness is fantastic! Even has the lumbar cushion and fits both 30L and 60L. (At about 1/2 the price of everyone else.)
Barrel Harness

We use a cable lock system on our barrel and secure it to a tree or the fire benches in camp. I’m not sure how to describe it but here’s a picture. We bought it at sawtooth outfitters in tofte but you could probably piece one together from the hardware store.

SinglePortage: "

billconner: "If you look in the ursack vs brown paper bag thread, i posted a list of IGBC certified devices. Many yeti and other coolers are listed, most with the note to use a padlock or a bolt. Id sure think a bolt made sense.

Bear vs blue barrel "

I was thinking about changing my ways and getting a blue barrel, but that picture made me think better of that idea. I pack so light on food that two of the bear vault cans would be enough for five to six weeks."

HOLD ON! That is a different type of barrel (that just happens to be blue) than most people including me are using. Fishguts old photo is of a thinner, cheaper, less sturdy type with indents for handles. MOST people using barrels in canoe country are using HARMONY barrels which have exterior plastic handles, and IMO are much tougher.

Just curious - does anyone here know for certain of a case where a Harmony Barrel that was closed and secured by a pin has been broken into by a black bear?? Not that its impossible, butI have not heard of any so far - at least around here.



I use about a 4-5 foot piece of tubular webbing with a loop on each end and a carabiner to a tree, usually a cedar tree for shade on the edge of camp when not in use.

As MT stated hope you have a Yeti to portage your Yeti.
That first portage out of Baker toward Smoke is a brute, I can't imagine trying to portage a cooler. Good luck.

Jaywalker: "HOLD ON! That is a different type of barrel (that just happens to be blue) than most people including me are using. Fishguts old photo is of a thinner, cheaper, less sturdy type with indents for handles. MOST people using barrels in canoe country are using HARMONY barrels which have exterior plastic handles, and IMO are much tougher.


Just curious - does anyone here know for certain of a case where a Harmony Barrel that was closed and secured by a pin has been broken into by a black bear?? Not that its impossible, butI have not heard of any so far - at least around here.





I use about a 4-5 foot piece of tubular webbing with a loop on each end and a carabiner to a tree, usually a cedar tree for shade on the edge of camp when not in use. "

I'll point out that Harmony barrels may also be known as Mauser drums as they are made by a German company and rebranded.

I keep a bear bell attached to the barrel and 'stash' it in the shade. On a dog less trip and in my pre-barrel days I awoke from a mid day snooze to the commotion of a bear into and dragging our Duluth Pack (food pack) off into the woods. Running after him in into the bush, following a trail of torn open food packages and heavy breathing as he drug the pack, he eventually dropped it and fled. I recovered the torn DP next to an empty Brueggers paper bag and most all of the food less a dozen bagels. Pasting a link isnt working but its a Coghlans Bear Bell.

Interestingly there is debate about whether "bear bells" work or actually if bears are habituated to them

I suggest something more robust than a little tinkly thing that wind can cover the sound of. Is it enough of an alarm clock for you?

I've always thought bear bells were for making noise in bear-prone areas more like out west, to scare off animals before a chance trail encounter. Seems like another quality Coghlan's product.

mschi772: "

Jaywalker: "HOLD ON! That is a different type of barrel (that just happens to be blue) than most people including me are using. Fishguts old photo is of a thinner, cheaper, less sturdy type with indents for handles. MOST people using barrels in canoe country are using HARMONY barrels which have exterior plastic handles, and IMO are much tougher.



Just curious - does anyone here know for certain of a case where a Harmony Barrel that was closed and secured by a pin has been broken into by a black bear?? Not that its impossible, butI have not heard of any so far - at least around here.







I use about a 4-5 foot piece of tubular webbing with a loop on each end and a carabiner to a tree, usually a cedar tree for shade on the edge of camp when not in use. "

I'll point out that Harmony barrels may also be known as Mauser drums as they are made by a German company and rebranded."

I have a barrel that shipped from Germany with the integrated handles and does not feel cheap in anyway, and like mschi772 points out, i believe they are the same as the harmony barrel but without the external handles.

One thing I seem to always have to tell people is that despite the fact that a blue barrel has a nice flat top, and is at a good working height, you should never use it as a kitchen counter. Don't prepare food on the lid or use it as a table... the way the barrels work is by hiding food smell, and if you rub food all over the barrel, a bear (which has a great sense of smell) will be all up in it.

I loaned a blue barrel to my BWCA newbie brother in law, and was greeted with a picture of a bear chewing on it in their camp. They had used the top to prepare food and clean fish, and the bear was loving it.

Jaywalker: "

SinglePortage: "

billconner: "If you look in the ursack vs brown paper bag thread, i posted a list of IGBC certified devices. Many yeti and other coolers are listed, most with the note to use a padlock or a bolt. Id sure think a bolt made sense.


Bear vs blue barrel "

I was thinking about changing my ways and getting a blue barrel, but that picture made me think better of that idea. I pack so light on food that two of the bear vault cans would be enough for five to six weeks."

HOLD ON! That is a different type of barrel (that just happens to be blue) than most people including me are using. Fishguts old photo is of a thinner, cheaper, less sturdy type with indents for handles. MOST people using barrels in canoe country are using HARMONY barrels which have exterior plastic handles, and IMO are much tougher.


Just curious - does anyone here know for certain of a case where a Harmony Barrel that was closed and secured by a pin has been broken into by a black bear?? Not that its impossible, butI have not heard of any so far - at least around here.





I use about a 4-5 foot piece of tubular webbing with a loop on each end and a carabiner to a tree, usually a cedar tree for shade on the edge of camp when not in use. "

Harmony Barrels, too

Having had a bear open up a 55gal steel barrel with a very tight bolted steel ring.

I don't think a blue barrel would be much of a challenge for a determine bear.

Of course it was a big bear in the 400lb plus range.

Looked like he just kept jumping on the tipped over barrel until he bent it enough that the ring popped.

He ate about 75lbs of peanut butter I had in it for bear bait.

Seems like the bait was successful then. =)

I also had a bear get the steel ring off of a steel 55 gallon drum and remove all of its contents. I was amazed. Same bear also removed the door from my chicken coop and bent over 12 Tposts that were supporting newly planted apple trees. I have also had them scratch and chew at the siding on my house. Yet I have no problem keeping my food in either the blue barrel or 5 gallon buckets with gamma seals. either is a far cry better than a hanging food pack in my opinion.

I recommend you get a true bear vault or BV as they are referred to. Lash it to a tree outside of camp at night. Keep the lid on it whenever you are not getting food from it. Depending on your group size and what types of food you bring will determine if you need one or two barrels.

My wife and I get by on one BV500 as long as we only put food inside the barrel. We bring some real food for the first night but mostly go with packaged food or dehydrated meals. You have to be creative in your packing of the barrel if you bring too much but you'll get it.

One brand a lot of people use:
Bear vault

There are differences in thickness of blue barrels. We secure ours to a tree with a cable style bicycle combination lock. Plus we have a bear bell attached to it to alert us if a bear is playing with it. No problems so far with bears getting into it as we just hide it off in the woods.

So many mentions of bells, in case someone hasnt heard it before:

Montana Grizzly Bear Notice:

In light of the rising frequency of human/grizzly bear
conflicts, the Montana Department of Fish and Game
is advising hikers, hunters, and fishermen to take extra
precautions and keep alert for bears while in the field.
We advise that outdoorsmen wear noisy little bells on
their clothing so as not to startle the bears that aren't
expecting them. We also advise outdoorsmen to carry
pepper spray with them in case of an encounter with a
bear.

It is also a good idea to watch out for fresh signs of bear
activity. Outdoorsmen should recognize the difference
between black bear and grizzly bear poop. Black bear poop
is smaller and contains a lot of berry seeds and squirrel fur.
Grizzly bear poop has little bells in it and smells like pepper
spray.

What I hate about things like the BV500 (which can also be said for Garcias, Ursacks, etc) is that it's so expensive for the space you get. I often go for 3-5 day trips in a group of at least 4. A, feeding everyone would require multiple BV500's which is inefficient for space and weight in addition to being expensive for everyone. B, where barrels allow me to also lock other smelly items away like cookware, that isn't gonna happen with BearVaults. It honestly seems like canoe campers are getting the shaft here. There are bear-proof containers for backpackers. There are large bear-proof containers for car campers. Nothing in the middle.

Where is the kickstarter for a 30 or 60 liter bear-proof container that isn't some yuppie POS Yeti anvil--I mean cooler?

billconner: "Grizzly bear poop has little bells in it and smells like pepper
spray."

hahaha!!!

SevenofNine: "I recommend you get a true bear vault or BV as they are referred to. Lash it to a tree outside of camp at night. Keep the lid on it whenever you are not getting food from it. Depending on your group size and what types of food you bring will determine if you need one or two barrels.


My wife and I get by on one BV500 as long as we only put food inside the barrel. We bring some real food for the first night but mostly go with packaged food or dehydrated meals. You have to be creative in your packing of the barrel if you bring too much but you'll get it.


One brand a lot of people use:
Bear vault "

I always use my Counter Assault Bear Keg when backpack camping, but I bring dehydrated food in on those trips. On canoe camping trips I like to bring fresh food with and find the bear keg is too small to bring a week's worth of fresh food in, thus the blue barrel.

If you are solo or packing very light for food then a Bear Vault is the way to go.

We always take blue barrels to the BWCA in the standard 30L and 60L size and we have never had a bear issue (or vermin issue).

We pack any garbage in clean, heavy duty trash bags and avoid putting "sloppy" wet garbage in there, i.e. we try to keep it clean and reduce smells. We take mostly dehydrated food anyway. We never use the lid for food prep. We stash the barrels in the bushes when not in use and keep them out of the sun during daytime. Just keep them clean, closed, and hidden in the shade and you should be fine.